Murder
by Imikat
Summary: Softwhisper is so proud when her young kin, Tigerpaw and Eaglepaw, receive their warrior names. Little does she know her life is just about to take a turn for the worst. NightClan challenge.


Softwhisper joined the crowd of cats as her young kin Tigerpaw stepped forwards and received his warrior name. Her heart swelled with pride and happiness for her brother as she called his name. "Tigerfur! Tigerfur!" she yowled.

Eaglepaw padded forwards and also received her warrior name. She yowled again. "Eaglewing! Eaglewing!"

She was so proud and watched happily as the young cats sat at the camp entrance, ready to begin their silent vigil. She curled up in her warm mossy nest, jaws parting in a yawn. She hoped Eaglewing and Tigerfur weren't too tired when they finished their vigil and came to rest.

The sun rose, and Tigerfur and Eaglewing plodded to their new nests. She got to her paws and left quietly to find Roseheart and Oakleaf so the new warriors could have some peace.

They were by the fresh-kill, sharing tongues.

"Roseheart, Oakleaf! Isn't this great? Tigerfur and Eaglewing are finally warriors!" she purred, settling down next to them.

"Yeah! I'm so happy for them." Mewed Roseheart, while Oakleaf nodded.

The day passed quickly and soon they were all curled up in their nests. Softwhisper had barely closed her eyelids before frightening images passed before her eyes. She woke from the nightmare frozen with terror, hardly able to breathe. All the cats around her were asleep, apart from Eaglewing and Tigerfur…

"Come with me, Tigerfur. I feel so awake!" she whispered.

"You do?" yawned Tigerfur loudly.

"Ssh!" she hissed. "We don't want to wake the others."

"Okay." He whispered. There was a slight rustling, then the two cat mews were gone.

Softwhisper knew she shouldn't, but something compelled her to follow her younger kin.

She followed them through the shady night-time forest, deeper and deeper. Every now and again Tigerfur tried to speak before Eaglewing silenced. After a while, she turned to face him.

She hid in the bushes, watching as Eaglewing began to speak. "So, Tigerfur, we're warriors now."

"Yeah…"

"I've been waiting so long, brother, for this moment. I've never had the courage, but now I'm finally going to act." Eaglewing's mew was chilling, and sent a shiver down Softwhisper's spine.

"What do you mean? Eaglewing, what's wrong?" Tigerfur asked, a frown appearing on his features.

She ignored him. "How I despise you! All my life, getting in my way. I will kill you now so I can live my warrior life in peace." She snarled.

Softwhisper froze, like Tigerfur. "K-kill me?!" he gasped.

"That's right, idiot." She hissed, launching herself at him.

She could only watch in horror as she bowled him over. Poor Tigerfur was so shocked that he couldn't react before she slit his throat.

"No!" screamed Softwhisper, racing from her hiding place, but it was too late. Tigerfur was dead.

"You, you, Eaglewing…" she could hardly speak, filled as she was with rage, sorrow and surprise.

"Shocked?" she paused, then let out a yowl. "TIGERFUR!"

Softwhisper stumbled backwards, not knowing what was happening. Then, two warriors crashed through the bracken, Ashstorm and Oakleaf.

"Softwhisper killed Tigerfur!" wailed Eaglewing. "I couldn't stop her!"

Their eyes swivelled round and landed on me, eyes wide with horror, distrust and, in Oakleaf's, hurt.

"It's not true!" she protested. "Eaglewing is lying!"

Despite her telling them what happened her wails were put down to wild attempts at saving herself. She was thrown before Sootstar, cowering in fear.

"Softwhisper, you have broken the warrior code by murdering Tigerfur. You are no longer of this clan. I hereby exile you, and if you are found in our territory after sunset you will be killed like any other rogue." Yowled Sootstar.

Her ears flattened to her head as the cats who she thought were her friends yowled, hissed and snarled as she slunk away miserably. Before she left, her eyes locked on Eaglewing. _I will get revenge. You have murdered Tigerfur and exiled me, but the truth will come out, and it will hurt._

The night was cold and bite through her short green-leaf coat. The arrival of leaf-fall surly wasn't going to make her new life as a rogue easier. The thought crossed her mind to mew piteously outside some twoleg's house and become a kittypet but she pushed it away. _I will still go by the warrior's code, even if I am no longer a warrior._ Her resolve strengthened. _Eaglewing… Eaglewing will die. She will die._

Eventually she reached the edge of clan territory. It was sparse with small, scraggly bushes which she doubted would hide much prey. Softwhisper found an abandoned badgers nest (she was quite certain it was abandoned after checking 50 times) which she filled with moss.

"Home, sweet, home." She muttered, feeling lonely and tired as she grieved Tigerfur. She wondered how many cats were soothing Eaglewing for her terrible loss.

_Probably a lot, _she thought sourly. _Soothing her and cursing me. Oh, StarClan, why has this happened? Did I do something wrong? Am I being punished? _She didn't get any answers, of course, and silently curled up in the nest. Hopefully tomorrow would be better.

Rain lashed down, pooling up in small dips and dripping off large leaves. She thought it might disguise her scent, which was why she was crossing the scent marks dripping with water. She had decided she wasn't going to live like a rogue. She would kill Eaglewing or die, preferably both.

No patrols. Softwhisper was deep in the territory and had not yet been discovered. Her heart was pounding, which was ridiculous, only yesterday she had strode freely with her clan mates, laughing.

She roughly shoved those thoughts from her head as she crept into the sleepy camp through a secret tunnel she's discovered as an apprentice. Most of the clan was still asleep so it was easy to sneak into the warrior's den.

There she was. Standing over Eaglewing, claws glinting in the soft moonlight. _Now I really am a murderer,_ she thought as she slit Eaglewing's throat.


End file.
